Largo

Arrived in Canada on 'The Empress of Scotland' Aug. 1st. 1957, . Left from Liverpool. Got sea sick the second day out when the sea was fairly calm. Later we had very heavy seas and huge waves. Nobody allowed on deck for 3 days, tables and chairs were bolted to the floor and no hot beverages were served. This was when I felt great. In the evenings they still had 'dances ' when the ship heaved one way everyone slid to that side and then back again . Arrived in Quebec on Aug. 1, had my passport stamped 'landed immigrant'. The best part was sailing down the St. Lawrence, sunny and warm, to Montreal where it was very humid,and my then OH and I stayed overnight. Next morning had to buy a pair of sandals as my feet had swollen with the heat and humidity and could not get into the only ones that were not packed. Here, I met added sales tax for the first time.
Later that day we took the train for several days and got off in Medicine Hat, where we took the small local train ' the day - liner ' to Bow Island, where we were met by the Superintendent of schools who took us to his home in the area , fed us and took us to the small hamlet in cattle ranching country where we were to spend the next 2 years as per contract ------ miles from anywhere.------ 50 miles to Medicine Hat, the nearest town . The people were welcoming and told us they wondered whether they would be able to understand us. They seemed to think we all spoke with a Cockney accent.

There is much more I could write, but I fear I will bore you. So to cut it short we moved around quite a bit , upgraded qualifications, and had our family.
Aug. 1 was also my daughter's birthday, she was born on the 5th. anniversary of our landing.
I think Canada is great for young people. When I came it was for 'adventure'.I really never intended to stay so long, but fate took a hand and here I am. I do like Canada but now,I think often of the place I was born in the UK. I suppose that's what happens as one gets older.


There have been good times and others not so good, but all in all it has been a good experience.

snoopster

wow! What a tale...such a different way to arrive than most of us experience now. It must have seemed like such an adventure. Happy 52nd Anniversary

kazchug

Do you get to return much and compare what it used to be like. London is not London anymore, had a bad experience there 2 years ago with not being able to purchase an English breakfast because the owner was a muslim and wouldn't allow bacon......

kazchug

Oh and happy anniversary...........

bodgerx

Poor you. Get over yourself.

Corky

Wow what a great story, I bet you have lots more you could tell. I have been here 56 years this past April....came over on the Franconia. I was to young to worry about it!

Largo

Congratulations, you beat me by 4 yrs. I was 23 when I came though. It was certainly an experience --- made me think of how scary it must have been in the days of the old sailing ships.
I think we were perhaps the 'lucky ' ones where actually getting here was an adventure. Even the train journey was an interesting experience.
There are so many memories still vivid today. Yes, much to tell. There really were some good times, as well as difficult ones. But definitely overall a good experience.

Largo

Thank you.
I used to visit fairly often when my parents were alive, but not recently.

kazchug

You don't have to be rude............

kate holt

We would love to hear more - it would not bore us at all!

Keith

Congratulations Largo. We also traveled by boat and train when we came in 1963. With two young children in tow the whole experience was as you say a great adventure unlike the cattle train experience that todays immigrants face.
We settled in Ottawa and never moved away. We have never returned as a family, too expensive in the early days and after savouring great summer vacations by the sea in Maine we always felt any return trip to the UK would be a waste of money.

Largo

[QUOTE=kate holt;7808487]We would love to hear more - [I]it would not bore [/I]us at all![/QUOT E

You are very kind.

Largo

Yes, it was.

You were fortunate to go to Ottawa at the outset. We went where we were offered a job. But obviously, we wanted to go elsewhere after our 2 yr. contract was completed . Our next stop was in Lethbridge, which I liked very much, but did not stay long. University beckoned and we went, and so on and so on.

Largo

kate holt

its like hearing about the pioneers!

Keith

I actually had a job offer that paid our expenses. Had no intention of coming to Canada until Jan 1963. Had to sell up and leave in early July. We sailed from Southampton on the Cunard Carmania.
Liked the place almost imediately and placed a deposit on our first home in Nov 1963 and moved in May 1964. That summer we had a great vacation on Cape Cod.